Session report: ‘’Pick a Side! Tough Choices in the Upcoming Dutch Food Security Policy”

At World Food Day 2024, Netherlands Food Partnership organised the debate: ‘Pick a side! - Tough choices in the upcoming Food Security Policy’. Key to the session was the launch of the elaborated version of the call (in Dutch) that 95 organisations sent to the new cabinet of the Dutch Government in May 2024. The debate explored three key dilemmas facing Dutch food security policy in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to inform upcoming discussions with Dutch ministers on the development of new policy on food security. This report presents the key takeaways from the session.

To inform participants and to kick off discussions, experts and professionals from the food security community presented standpoints in favour or against the statements. Jelte van Wieren (Director for Sub-Sahara Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) presented his insight on ‘equal relationships’, Namukolo Covic (CGIAR), Sigrid Wertheim - Heck (WUR) on ‘healthy diets’ and Annie van de Riet (AVAG) and Karin van Boxtel (Both Ends) on ‘climate resilience’. The session was moderated by Ellen Mangnus. Thanks to all contributors including the participants.

1. Equal Relationships: ‘It is possible to implement (food security) policy that stands for equal interests of both the Netherlands and in LMICs.’

• Focus on Genuine Partnerships: Successful partnerships require transparency about intentions and avoiding imposing Dutch interests.

• Address Systemic Barriers: Economic inequalities and power imbalances, whether between high income countries and LMICs or within LMICs, must be acknowledged and addressed to create equitable relationships.

• Shift in Trade Dynamics: The Netherlands need to move away from exploitative trade practices and towards supporting food sovereignty and locally driven agricultural agendas.

2. Healthy Diets: ‘The Netherlands should prioritise reducing its indirect export subsidies for animal-sourced proteins to LMICs and invest in nutrition programmes for the marginalised groups instead.’

• Support Local Solutions and Dietary Choices: Policies should promote culturally appropriate, locally produced diets rather than imposing external products or preferences that may disrupt local food systems.

• Limit adverse Influence on LMIC Diets: Design policies to address the impact of large food companies and export practices on consumption patterns in LMICs, prioritising the promotion of nutritious foods and limiting unhealthy product marketing. Providing healthy diets should be the guiding principle for Dutch government policies.

• Sustainability in Diets: Encourage sustainable production practices locally and in the Netherlands, focusing on nutrition programs tailored to the needs of marginalised groups rather than broad export strategies that limit the growth of African production. Dutch knowledge is very needed in this effort. Not only in food production but also food safety

• Promote dietary guidelines: Stress the importance of having national dietary guidelines to LMICs, and offer advice on how to design these to achieve healthy diets. This way, the Netherlands can cooperate and facilitate trade based on the demand of LMICs.

3. Climate Resilience: ‘Future policy should prioritise Dutch technological innovations for climate resilience in food systems in LMICs’

• Prioritise the focus on enhancing innovative capabilities: Bend local or indigenous knowledge with relevant innovations. Rather than “copy-pasting” Dutch technologies, policies should encourage capacity building to ensure that solutions are demanded by and suitable for LMIC contexts in the long term. The starting point should be to co-create with LMIC partners as Dutch parties can also learn from indigenous knowledge.

• Adopt a landscape approach with LMIC partners: This is a way of managing land that considers the broader ecosystem, social, and economic factors of a region, rather than focusing on isolated projects or single-use goals. Intensification and maximisation of agriculture is more suitable in some areas (e.g. peri-urban) than others.